Monday, October 9, 2017

HORROR What is Really Going on in Catalonia

Kudos to the Mises Institute for running this important interview (below) with Daniel Lacalle, who is a Spanish economist and libertarian who runs Mises Hispano.

He was interviewed by Mises president Jeff Deist ant the two discuss the facts behind the Catalan independence vote.

Daniel makes the case against secession based on his view that independence would result in less freedom for Catalans.

Jeff disagrees, arguing for self-determination as a fundamental libertarian political principle that contemplates freedom to choose even bad political arrangements.

Daniel's argument provides realpolitik perspective the point that I have been making that it is a mistake when looking at secession to not consider what a secessionist regime would look like. Secession by itself does not necessarily mean better circumstances for the people of a region.

Jeff argues that to be against secession is to be against self-determination, a fundamental libertarian principle. However, I would argue that Daniel is correct. The far left secessionist movement in Catalonia is not about self-determination, in the libertarian sense, but merely a shift in the ruling government that would result in less freedom and less self-determination at the individual level.

If 90% of the people there determine they want to be more socialistic, then they should be.Libertarians don’t believe in self determination only as long as it aligns with our ideology.And how is this a bad thing? If they want to be even more socialistic, let them, we know that such States can’t last. This will bring the end of that State quicker than if it is with Spain. And, it hurts the State of Spain. Win win in the long run.

Even if this may be a move towards a government that is less free than prior it serves as an example that people can break from a state if they so choose. Not alot of people have the will to do this. This event might inspire others, who may have more libertarian inclinations, to do the same and devise a more free government. I see this as a potenial boon to the cause. The salient point here is self determination which, as libertarians, we should support, whether we like the end result or not.